The JR Kure Line for Kure, Hiro and Mihara

The JR Kure Line is a railway line in Hiroshima Prefecture that runs east to west between Mihara Station in Mihara City and Kaitaichi Station in the town of Kaita. Both of these stations are also on the Sanyo Main Line. However, while the Sanyo Main Line takes a more direct route between these two points, the Kure Line takes a southerly route, running along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, and passing through the major port city of Kure en route.

The Kure Line has two main sections: an eastern section between Mihara Station and Hiro Station, and a western section between Hiro Station and Kaitaichi Station.

The eastern section is a pleasant scenic route along which passengers can enjoy views over the Seto Inland Sea. The western section is more of a commuter route connecting the major cities of the region, and for this reason trains on this section continue beyond Kaitaichi Station along the Sanyo Main Line, stopping at Mukainada and Tenjingawa before terminating at Hiroshima Station.

In this article we will look at Kure Line services running west-to-east from Hiroshima Station. For tourists, the main attractions along this route are the maritime museums of Kure City, the historic old town or “little Kyoto” of Takehara City, and Okunoshima Island — which is also known as “Rabbit Island.”

Destinations

Kure Line services from Hiroshima Station run to Saka, Kure and Hiro on the Kure Line. Some services also go as far as Mihara at the end of the Kure Line before continuing on the Sanyo Main Line to Itozaki or Fukuyama. However, if your destination is beyond Hiro, then you will most likely take a rapid train to Hiro and then transfer to a local service. There are 31 stations between Hiroshima and Mihara.

Hiroshima > Tenjingawa > Mukainada > Kaitaichi > Yano > Saka > Mizushiri > Koyaura > Kure-Portopia > Tenno > Karugahama > Yoshiura > Kawaraishi > Kure > Akiaga > Shin-Hiro > Hiro > Nigata > Akikawajiri > Ato > Yasuura > Kazahaya > Akitsu > Yoshina > Takehara > Onori > Akinagahama > Tadanoumi > Akisaizaki > Sunami > Mihara

The key destinations on this route are given below with example fares and journey times given from Hiroshima.

Mukainada Station

This station is convenient for the Mazda Museum. This free museum gives visitors an overview of Mazda Motor Corporation’s history, with displays of classic cars as well as the latest models, and a visit to the vehicle assembly line. Tours in English are available but all visits must be booked in advance. Booking can be made on the official Mazda website. The museum is a 4 minute walk from Mukainada Station

Kaitaichi Station

This station serves the town of Kaita, which has a number of cultural sites. About 6 minutes’ walk from the station is the Former Chiba Family Residence (Kyu-Chibake-Jutaku), a traditional 18th century samurai house with a garden that has been designated a place of scenic beauty in Hiroshima. Four minutes from there is Kumano Jinja Shrine, a peaceful spot which is said to date from 1026, though the current main building dates from 1825. Another 4-minute walk will take you to Yakushizenji Temple where you can see the 13-meter-high golden statue of Himawari Kannon, the Buddhist spirit of mercy.

Mizushiri Station

Exit here for Bayside Beach. This white sand beach is on the west side of the station.

Kure-Portopia Station

This station serves Kure Portopia Park. This is a large park with various family-friendly facilities including play areas for kids and a wading pool for small children. Flea markets are sometimes held on the park grounds.

Tenno Station

Exit here for Mount Eboshi Iwayama. This mountain is popular with mountain climbers and is known for having beautiful views from the summit. The base of this mountain is a 10-minute walk from the station.

Karugahama Station

Exit here for Karuga Beach. This is a wide beach that is a popular swimming spot in the summer.

Kure Station

Kure is a historically important seaport, and so has several museums dedicated to this history. Just 8 minutes’ walk from the station is Kure Maritime Museum, which is also known as the Yamato Museum because of the one 10th scale model it has on display of the famous battleship Yamato — the model is 26 meters long. The main anchor of the actual Yamato is also on display at the nearby Kure Port Breakwater.

Close by the Kure Maritime Museum is the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force Kure Museum, which has displays related to minesweepers and submarines. Several torpedoes are on display and visitors can also board a real submarine.

In the same area is the Irifuneyama Memorial Museum, a local history museum which is located in the former Kure Naval District Commander’s Residence. Kure Municipal Museum of Art is also close by and has on display paintings by famous Japanese and international artists.

Kameyama Shrine, which was first established 1,300 years ago, is a 20-minute walk from the station on a hilltop with views over Kure Bay. The shrine was completely destroyed during World War II, and the current buildings date from the 1950s.

To the south of the port area of Kure is the island of Kurahashijima, which is connected to the mainland by two bridges and has a number of attractions. Among these are Katsurahama Beach with its scenic walking trails and campsite; the Kurehashi Shipbuilding Museum, which displays models of the wooden ships once built in this area; the Manyo Botanical Garden, which is dedicated to flowers and trees mentioned in the ancient Manyoshu poetry collection; and the F. H. Royce Museum, which displays a collection of classic Rolls Royce and Bentley cars.

All of these attractions are in the same area on the island and can be reached in one hour from Kure Station by taking a Kurekura Hashijima Line bus and getting off at Katsurahama Beach.

Takehara Station

The city of Takehara has many attractions, many of which can be found in the old town district, which has so many well-preserved historic buildings that it has been called the “little Kyoto” of Hiroshima Prefecture. The old town district is a 15-minute walk north of the station and several traditional homes, sake breweries and pottery studios are open to visitors in this area.

Here you can find the Fuji Shuzo sake brewery, part of which is open for visitors. The brewery offers free sake tastings and has a variety of souvenirs on sale. Close by the brewery is the Takehara History and Folklore Museum, which is located in an early 20th century Western-style building and has displays related to the local history as well as Takehara’s most famous son, Taketsuru Masataka, the “father of Japanese whisky,” who founded the Nikka Whisky company.

Also close by the old town area is the Zen temple of Saihoji and the Fumeikaku Hall, which dates from 1758. This is a beautiful hilltop location with a splendid view over the city.

Tadanoumi Station

This station serves the port of Tadanoumi. Exit here for Aohata Jam Deck, a jam-making factory that offers free tours and paid jam-making experiences. This facility also has a cafe, a souvenir jam shop, and second-floor terrace from which you can enjoy views over the Seto Inland Sea. Both tours and jam-making experiences must be booked in advance and can be booked on the official website. The facility is open Tuesday to Saturday and closed on Sundays, Mondays, public holidays and during New Year’s holidays. Aohata Jam Deck is a 6-minute walk from the station.

Tadanoumi is also known as the gateway to the island of Okunoshima, which is also known as “Rabbit Island” because of its large population of wild rabbits. As well as rabbits, tourists are drawn to the island for its natural scenery and beaches. There are no vehicles on the island, but visitors can get around using rental bicycles.

There is also a Poison Gas Museum on the island. Okunoshima was historically the site of secret poison gas-making facilities, and the museum, which opened in 1988, is dedicated to raise awareness of this terrible history and to promote peace.

The ferry terminal for the island is a four-minute walk from the station. There are around two departures each hour for the island and the crossing takes 15 minutes. Because there aren’t many eating facilities on the island, visitors are encouraged to eat at one of the restaurants around Tadanoumi Port before boarding a ferry.

Mihara Station

Mihara is a seaside city with a number of sites of historic interest. Right beside the station are the stone ruins of Mihara Castle. The hilltop Oshima Shrine, which is a 10-minute walk to the north of the station, is known for its many red torii gates and offers a fine view over the city. Two temples of special interest in Mihara are Daizenji and Buttsuji. The main hall of Daizenji, which is a 15-minute walk from Mihara Station, dates from 1290 and is known for its onigawara “demon” roof tiles as well as its scenic grounds. Buttsuji, which is a 30-minute bus ride from Mihara Station, is a Zen temple first founded in 1397. The expansive temple grounds feature several Zen gardens and are particularly popular in the fall for their colorful autumn foliage.

Transfers can be made at Mihara Station to the JR Sanyo Main Line or to the Sanyo Shinkansen.

Special Trains

Two special train services run along the Kure Line: the Akiji Liner and the etSETOra. Both of these trains are rapid services.

Akiji Liner services run roughly two times each hour throughout the day. These are rapid services that can get to Kure Station in a little over 30 minutes and to Hiro Station in around 45 minutes. Most Akiji Liner services run only as far as Hiro but some run as far as Yasuura, or to Itozaki on the Sanyo Main Line.

Between Hiroshima and Hiro the Akiji Liner is a rapid service that stops only at the following stations:

Hiroshima > Kaitaichi > Yano > Yoshiura > Kure > Akiaga > Shin-Hiro > Hiro

Services that continue beyond Hiro become local services stopping at all stations on their route.

The etSETOra is a two-car sightseeing train that runs a return service between Hiroshima and the historic castle-town of Fukuyama. The name of the train is a play on the Latin word etcetera and the name of the Seto Inland Sea. This train has a fully stocked bar on board from which you can buy drinks and snacks. Special dessert boxes to enjoy en route can also be booked in advance.

The etSETOra runs along the Kure Line between Hiroshima and Mihara and then continues the journey on the Sanyo Main Line. The train stops at the following stations:

Hiroshima > Kure > Akitsu > Takehara > Tadanoumi > Mihara > Onomichi > Fukuyama

This train runs on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, but not during the New Year’s holiday period. There is only one etSETOra service from Hiroshima per day, which (at the time of writing) departs from Hiroshima at 9.32 a.m., arriving at Fukuyama at 12.53. All seats on this train must be reserved in advance and there is an extra charge for the reservation.

Useful Links

To plan your journey via the Kure Line use an English language route finder like Jorudan’s Japan Transit Planner.

Timetables and route maps can also be found on the official JR West website.

Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 25-Aug-2026.